RICHMOND, BC (May 21, 2025) – Steve Kooner, Conservative MLA for Richmond–Queensborough and Attorney General Critic, is calling on the BC NDP government and Attorney General Niki Sharma to take urgent and decisive action in response to a growing wave of extortion and intimidation targeting South Asian business owners across British Columbia.
Kooner’s statement follows a high-profile killing in Ontario that reportedly involved the same tactics seen in several BC extortion cases. He warned that the pattern is not coincidental, but rather part of a broader, organized criminal campaign reaching across provincial borders.
“These aren’t isolated incidents,” said Kooner. “We’re seeing a coordinated campaign of intimidation, and in some cases, the same extortion tactics and notes linked to violent attacks in other provinces. This is organised crime targeting British Columbians and, as usual, the NDP are looking the other way.”
South Asian business owners, who contribute significantly to BC’s economy, have increasingly become targets of threats, extortion, and violence. Despite these developments, MLA Kooner says the Attorney General’s recent mandate letter fails to even mention the concerns of the South Asian business community.
“The NDP’s lack of acknowledgement sends a chilling message: If you are a successful businessperson in BC, don’t expect protection,” said Kooner. “Instead of defending BC businesses, the Attorney General is avoiding responsibility.”
Kooner and the BC Conservatives are calling for the following actions:
- Partner with South Asian businesses to rebuild trust with law enforcement.
- Launch anonymous, multilingual hotlines to report extortion cases.
- Close legal loopholes and ensure faster convictions for intimidation and extortion.
- Work with the federal government to increase penalties for organized crime, including deportation for foreign nationals.
- Establish a joint RCMP-local police task force to tackle transnational crime.
- Improve international cooperation on extradition and crime financing.
- Investigate foreign organized crime operations in BC, with specific attention to alleged links to India.
“The NDP talk endlessly about inclusion and equality,” said Kooner. “But when BC’s South Asian business owners face threats of real danger, they do nothing.”
Kooner reaffirmed the Conservatives’ commitment to supporting British Columbia’s South Asian business community and holding the NDP accountable.
“Conservatives stand with the victims of organized crime,” he said. “We will continue to advocate for real, common-sense solutions that the NDP refuses to even consider.”
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